Forum

Welcome to the newly redesigned Science Careers Forum. Please bookmark this site now for future reference. If you've previously posted to the forum, your current username and password will remain the same in the new system. If you've never posted or are new to the forum, you will need to create a new account.

The new forum is designed with some features to improve the user experience. Upgrades include:- easy-to-read, threaded discussions- ability to follow discussions and receive notifications of updates- private messaging to other SC Forum members- fully searchable database of posts- ability to quote in your response- basic HTML formatting available

I noticed that one of Dave's comments back in another post was about how industry employers don't like to have people who are applying both for industry jobs as well as for academic slots. Can this really be true? I mean, it seems as if people would be wise to look EVERYWHERE for a job, since they aren't all that easy to find. Why should a company care whether I am also applying for a tenure-track position? I weigh both equally. What's up? Don't they understand the world of the person looking for a job?

There are SOME people at SOME companies who will respect you for trying to get your own group in academia. BUT this will probably be limited to biotech firms who have consciously set themselves up as a sort of quasi-academic environment (e.g., Genentech).

The reason why some people will care is that they'll think you're not committed to industry. They'll ask themselves, "This guy is applying for tenture track jobs as well. Maybe he only wants to 'try' industry and will bail to academia as soon as he finds a good position there." Plus the way each world works is pretty different at most companies.

Bottom line is that if you decide to puruse jobs on both sides of the fence, have an easily understood explanation of why you are committed to the job you are interviewing for at any given moment.

Andy's message is right on target. The key item to remember is that last line,

"if you decide to puruse jobs on both sides of the fence, have an easily understood explanation of why you are committed to the job you are interviewing for at any given moment."

That's the most important thing of all, and I'll bet that even enlightened companies like Genentech will have managers who insist that the person they hire be totally committed to the job, and not aspiring to something else in academia.

Thanks Andy. You are a gem.

Dave

“There is no such thing as work-life balance. Everything worth fighting for unbalances your life.”- Alain de Botton